Twelve Philippine nationals have been convicted and sentenced to one year in prison by a Federal High Court in Lagos for cybercrime-related offences.
Justices Chukwujekwu Aneke and Yellim Bogoro delivered the judgment on Friday in Lagos, convicting a total of 18 foreign nationals, including the 12 Filipinos and six others — on charges including cybercrime, fraud, impersonation, and attempts to destabilise Nigeria’s constitutional order.
According to a statement by the spokesperson for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Dele Oyewale, the convicts changed their pleas from not guilty to guilty under a plea bargain agreement reached with the EFCC.
Their prison terms are to run retroactively from the date of their arrest on December 10, 2024.
In addition to their sentences, the court imposed a fine of N1m on each convict.
It also ordered their deportation within seven days of completing their prison terms and paying the fines.
The court further directed the final forfeiture of all mobile phones, laptops, and routers used in committing the crimes to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The convicted Filipinos are Jean Calatar Maunfo, Donne Reges, Roseann Gonzales, Mary Grace Dela Piazza Camara, Lari Jane Tayae, Jonilyn Agulto, Jonalyn Mendoza, Anjeannet Topacio, and Arramef Topacio, among others.
Justice Bogoro delivered their sentence after hearing from EFCC prosecutors, Hanatu Kofanaisa and Temitope Banjo, with Bridget Omateno representing the defence.
The six other convicts sentenced by Justice Aneke are Eliza Gapparova, Diana Kadyrbekova, Nasrine Chouaieb, Jiang Han Hua, Liao Zhang, and Genting International Co. Limited. They were found guilty of cyberterrorism, identity theft, and recruiting Nigerian youths to impersonate foreign nationals in online fraud schemes.
The EFCC revealed that the convicts were part of a global cybercrime and cryptocurrency fraud syndicate known as “HK,” which operated from a seven-storey building on Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The site, disguised as a financial services headquarters, was raided in December 2024 in what the EFCC described as the biggest anti-cybercrime operation in its history.
A total of 193 foreign nationals and 792 suspects were arrested during the operation.
The EFCC said investigations revealed the syndicate used over 1,500 laptops and 4,000 mobile phones to train both Nigerian and foreign youths in romance and investment scams. These scams targeted victims in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe.
Genting International Company Limited, allegedly created in mid-2024 by the syndicate’s leaders, reportedly employed 200 Chinese nationals to coordinate and supervise the fraudulent activities.
The scammers used VPNs registered in Nigeria and operated fake platforms on WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, and fabricated investment websites, charging victims fees starting from $35.
One of the convicted suspects reportedly received over ₦3.4 billion in fraudulent proceeds through their account.
